Many people find the Black Madonna or Dark Goddess frightening. Indeed, fear of what Black Madonna-Dark Goddess represents is one major factor in the suppression of the Whole Divine Feminine, and the backlash of cruelty and violence that seems to accompany the fearful efforts to control that power.
But is the Black Madonna and Dark Goddess frightening?
Certainly one might conclude so, based on the teachings of some prominent persons who speak and write about this Divine manifestation of the Deep Feminine.
Listening to certain teachers, who go on at length about the suffering, the crucifixion, the Dark Night of the Soul that the Dark Mother drags you into, it becomes clear why some might be terrified by Her even while being called to deeper exploration.
My perspective differs a bit, though it's one that emerges, ironically, only after a deep, Dark Night and the first tentative steps towards integrating the wisdom gained from it. Let me share it by starting with a story.
In ancient cultures where the Goddess was worshipped, some high priestesses would wear frightening masks at certain rituals, to scare away those who were not prepared to be there, or to show those who were supposed to be there where fear resided within them.
If you were privy, you knew it was just a mask. If you were not privy, and perhaps there out of 'parlor game' curiosity or a desire to do harm, you would be scared away by what might seem to you a Demon.
These masks and rituals were later translated -- by those who were not privy, and not prepared to be there, but who were covetous of the power of the priestesses and priests and the powerful rituals -- as Demons. High Priestess, Wise Woman, thus became the 'old hag' and Demon. A handy little story to mislead those who might find their way to that which could truly liberate; a handy story to keep people in fear and ignorance.
Fear has always been a mighty gatekeeper, which is why liberation from fear has always been a core tenet of wisdom teachings (and why true wisdom teachings have always been dangerous to those greedy to keep their worldly power).
But beneath the mask, Wisdom. On the other side of Fear, heart-centered Power and Wholeness for those who have the tenacity and dedication to walk the path, or live The Way.
In my experience, it's similar with the Black Madonna - Dark Goddess. She calls you to Her, and there are High Priestesses and Priests who keep the Way, perhaps wearing frightening masks to test one's true intentions and call to heartful courage.
Even if Dark Madonna - Dark Goddess speaks to us Herself, she may don the masks we need to see. This isn't to frighten us away, at least not permanently. It's more to show us that which keeps us away, keeps us separate from Her and from the Unity and Wholeness that come through Her and by Her -- through and by embodying the energies and traits associcated with the Deep, Whole Feminine.
So if we delve slightly into the waters of the Divine Feminine, and see the face of the Dark Madonna, Dark Goddess on the path, we may indeed be frightened. She may show us a mask of anger, fierceness, horror, cruelty, or apathy.
But these are more mirrors than masks or Her core ways, in that they show us what is within us that needs to be healed, released, and nurtured and nourished back to Wholeness.
If we are angry, she will appear so. If we're fear-full, she will frighten us. If we need to own our Power, She will come as Power, or Fierceness personaified.
However, it is not Her that creates or fosters these experiences and qualities; it is not the Dark Madonna or Dark Goddess who 'drags us into the Dark Night', but rather She who meets us there, guides us even though we may not see, and waits for us, holding the lantern in the darkness, and guiding us to Wisdom and Engaged Wisdom in the dawn.
A Dark Night of the Soul may be the necessary terrain through which we walk in order to shake the armor and trappings of Ego, which keep us from Wholeness and living in the Way of our birthright as Children of God/dess -- Children of Sophia. But Wisdom keeps the Way, and shows the Way, and is the Way.
When we have cleared or seen through the masks that frighten and keep us from wholeness, we see the Dark Madonna-Dark Goddess's fierce compassion, nurturing, loving, Whole being, and know -- not just through the playground of mental or intellectual concept, but through embodied knowing that comes from walking the Way.
Blessings,
Jamie
Explore the Dark Madonna and other archetypal energies of the Feminine in the Feminine Mojo Mystery School.
Image Credits: Black Madonna, 19th Century, Artist Unknown (Friends House Moscow); Medusa, Franz Stuck; Sin, Franz Stuck; Memory, Elihu Vedder.
Thanks Jamie for this awesome post! There may be some paralells here with the Hindu Mythology of Goddess Kali and Mahayana Buddhist concept of female Dakini. See wikipedia.
Posted by: SusMita Barua | Wednesday, June 13, 2007 at 12:51 PM